written by an amateur humanhttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 19:48:38 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngwritten by an amateur humanhttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com
Journalism Overall Reflectionhttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/journalism-overall-reflection/
https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/journalism-overall-reflection/#respondThu, 25 May 2017 22:55:00 +0000http://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/?p=604Continue reading Journalism Overall Reflection]]>Overall this year has been really hard at times. I learned the importance of detailed fact checking the hard way and I definitely will take writing for the press very seriously from now on. I wasn’t really planning on writing for the college newspaper until I realized that they would pay me a small amount for each article. I will definitely proceed with caution and do my best. This is my last year on the Plaid Press and I’ve realized that the connections I’ve made with people are invaluable. I’m really grateful to the other people on the press and Ms. Spaulding for being there for me. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that someone has your back and that you can rely on them. Being on the press has taught me the importance of positivity, unity and constant improvement. I grew up in a really unstable family where there is always a lot of pressure to succeed and negativity. I enjoy the environment the press provides so much in part because I feel as if I everyone tries their best to be optimistic. Being a part of journalism has taught me that pursuing your own goals even if others don’t approve is always worthwhile. Even if no one reads the paper, we write it for ourselves and that is more than enough. ]]>https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/journalism-overall-reflection/feed/0aswivelchairdaydreamerMay 2017 Reflectionhttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/may-2017-reflection/
https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/may-2017-reflection/#respondThu, 25 May 2017 22:53:23 +0000http://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/?p=602Continue reading May 2017 Reflection]]>This issue was the first time where I had to interview a teacher I didn’t know for my article. The DECA article wasn’t so bad because I knew the teacher in charge of the program but for the English classes article I had to interview a English teacher I didn’t know. It was a very nerve wracking experience but I learned a lot about professionalism in the end. The DECA advisor asked to see the rough draft of my article because he said that there were many errors in previous articles the press had written about DECA. I had never realized just how inaccurate information on the internet is until he pointed out that a lot of the information online about DECA was outdated. That was when I realized that I needed to talk to people in person even if it’s scary because I risk reporting inaccurate information,]]>https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/may-2017-reflection/feed/0aswivelchairdaydreamerApril 2017 Reflectionhttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/april-2017-reflection/
https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/april-2017-reflection/#respondThu, 25 May 2017 22:52:51 +0000http://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/april-2017-reflection/Continue reading April 2017 Reflection]]>This month I wrote articles about MUN and AP classes. It was a really stressful time for me because it was right before AP exams and there was a lot going on in my life. During this time I remember it was a real crunch for me to finish my articles and I’m lucky that the people I interviewed were willing to work with me and give me their interview responses over email. Writing that article about changing demographics in AP wasn’t so bad because the basis of the article stemmed from many conversations that occurred in the past with my friends Brian and Victoria. After writing that article I realized that the issue of minority groups in schools had become really important to me and I plan on reporting more about that while I’m at SB. ]]>https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/april-2017-reflection/feed/0aswivelchairdaydreamerFebruary 2017 Reflectionhttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/february-2017-reflection/
https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/february-2017-reflection/#respondThu, 25 May 2017 22:52:06 +0000http://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/?p=598Continue reading February 2017 Reflection]]>In this month’s issue, I had my article featured as the main article on the front page for the first time. That has never happened before and I’m glad I got to write the main article before I graduated. I also wrote an article about Jazz Band which was an interesting experience. Both of my articles for this issue were difficult to write because I had to interview so many people. I was lucky that I could get in contact with the Jazz Band teacher who got me a lot of responses to my interview questions. I was also very lucky that the people that I needed to interview answered my questions over email. A lot of people never check their emails which can make life difficult. There was this one girl who literally begged me to be featured in the article for Jazz Band. I’ve been writing for the paper for so long that I’ve forgotten how much this can mean to people. Seeing her care so much about being in the paper really rejuvenated my passion for writing. This was also the month that the web article I wrote about Trump received a lot of negative criticism online. It was difficult me to recover because I had never received such backlash on something that I had written before but looking back I consider it a good experience that I have learned from. I plan on writing for the paper in college for a small income so that experience definitely was worthwhile for me even if it was a bad one.]]>https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/february-2017-reflection/feed/0aswivelchairdaydreamerChoosing a collegehttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/23/choosing-a-college/
https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/23/choosing-a-college/#respondTue, 23 May 2017 21:34:13 +0000http://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/?p=592Continue reading Choosing a college]]>As my senior year comes to a close, I have realized that my perspective on colleges has changed significantly. When I was first applying to college, I believed that the college with the best reputation and the most prestigious name was the ideal. In reality that’s not always the case. To find the right college for you, I believe that your own unique needs come before the reputation of a school.

How far will you go?

Before choosing a college, you must consider how far you plan to go in your education. Second degree students (students who have already earned their first Bachelor’s degree) are ineligible for most forms of government aid. If you plan on obtaining a Master’s degree or a PhD after your Bachelor’s degree, it would be a good idea to consider trying to save money while you can with your first degree. Also, most employers also look most strongly at the school of your latest degree, so you may not need a prestigious school for your first degree. If you are not planning on obtaining anything beyond your first Bachelor’s degree, it might be worthwhile to invest in a school that will make your first four years of college very worthwhile.

What field interests you?

Another thing to consider before choosing a college is what the college can offer you in terms of the particular field you plan on going into. Certain schools may offer you more resources than others.

Location, location location

Besides the programs for certain majors, factors like location are also important. For example if you’re interested in going into international relations, attending a school such as George Washington University in Washington D.C is a smart choice due to the plethora of internships and opportunities located in the area.

What’s your personal preference?

The last thing to consider before choosing a college is personal preference. Choosing a college is about choosing the place where you are going to grow as a person in the next four years, where you are going to become an adult. Attending a school farther away from home will benefit many people while others aren’t ready for that yet.

For me, the atmosphere of the college I will attend is extremely important. I wanted to attend a school that had a lot of optimism. I wanted to make sure that the people around me were just as dedicated to their passions as I am.

I would recommend that you visit the college or speak to a student that is attending the college you are interested in before deciding on where to go. If you are in an environment where you are uncomfortable, you will not be able to take advantage of all the opportunities college has to offer.

]]>https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/23/choosing-a-college/feed/0aswivelchairdaydreamerDisney shines spotlight on two female directorshttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/disney-shines-spotlight-on-two-female-directors/
https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/disney-shines-spotlight-on-two-female-directors/#respondMon, 22 May 2017 21:37:05 +0000http://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/?p=595Continue reading Disney shines spotlight on two female directors]]>Many are unaware of the faces behind filmmaking, but films with a production cost of over $100 million dollars are rarely independently directed or produced by a female. Currently, Disney has two independent female directors in its lineup, Niki Caro of “Mulan” and Ava Duvernay of “A Wrinkle in Time.” As Disney continues to expand its audience by focusing on live action films, Caro and Devernay are expected to make groundbreaking contributions.

Successful filmmakers in their own right, Caro and Duvernay have opened many doors for females in the movie industry to help more women in film, Caro hired female producers, a female camera operator, a female stunt coordinator, a female production designer, a female set decorator, and many other females to help on set of her upcoming film “The Zookeeper’s Wife”. Meanwhile, Duvernay opted to use only female directors for her series Queen Sugar. In addition, Duvernay’s“Selma” was the first film directed by an African-American woman to be nominated for Best Picture, which in itself has broken barriers for black women in film.

“It’s devastating to see. But it’s good to have these hard numbers, because it allows us to understand what we’re up against. I’m no longer interested in berating studios or raising my fists and kind of beating my brow about the Academy. I am more interested in helping women make their pictures,” Duvernay said according to a recent interview with Southern California Public Radio.

Duvernay is an excellent choice to direct Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time” because she will be focusing on including more women on set, rather than making it big at the box office. Similarly, Caro has also had a hand in making the art of directing films that are more gender inclusive.

Caro, whose most recent film was “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” was praised for her inclusion of women on set: Kim Dubick, Diane Levin, Rachael Levine, Katie McNeill, and Antje Rau are just a few examples of the many women that worked on the film. In most film studios, stunt coordinators, screenwriters and camera operators are often way outnumbered by males. Actress Jessica Chastain was eager to share her excitement on working on a film that involved so many women.

“We’re not even 50 percent of the crew — we’re probably something like 20 percent women and 80 percent men — but it’s way more than I’ve ever worked with on a film before,” Chastain said to the Hollywood Reporter.

Working behind the camera gives women the opportunity to be judged solely based on their work instead of their appearance. Giving women a say in how they are portrayed on the screen also helps stop women from being overly sexualized in the media, which will help young girls.

According to the American Psychological Association, too many young girls are suffering from mental health issues because they believe that their appearance defines them. Far too many times in society, a woman is judged solely based on her looks in comparison to men. Caro and Devernay will definitely continue to involve more women on set in their next big films. With role models to look up to, young girls will be motivated to pursue careers in filmmaking despite being outnumbered.

]]>https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/disney-shines-spotlight-on-two-female-directors/feed/0aswivelchairdaydreamerGHCHS chooses new English classes for seniorshttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/ghchs-chooses-new-english-classes-for-seniors/
https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/ghchs-chooses-new-english-classes-for-seniors/#respondSun, 14 May 2017 21:24:57 +0000http://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/?p=590Continue reading GHCHS chooses new English classes for seniors]]>Starting in the 2017-2018 academic year, Granada Hills Charter High School (GHCHS) will replace its College Prep English class with new class options for Granada Guaranteed Curriculum seniors. They will be allowed to choose a class centered around a form of literature that interests them, with options including Film and Literature, Apocalyptic Literature, Class Consciousness of the 21st Century, Literature of L.A, Shakespearean Literature and Diversity and Literature.

Film and Literature will allow students to analyze how filmmakers convey meaning to viewers through analyzing film while Apocalyptic Literature highlights supernatural beings in literature through genres like horror fiction. For students interested in the sociological aspect of literature, Class Consciousness of the 21st Century and Literature of L.A. focus on literature that have been impactful to contemporary social movements.

Although Shakespearean Literature will be more similar to traditional English classes, it will allow students to study the work of William Shakespeare in greater depth than the average English class.

Lastly, students taking Diversity and Literature will examine the representation of different cultures in literature. Despite the varied focuses of these classes, all of the classes have a similar level of difficulty. The English Department chose to develop these new classes in order to offer students more educational options without compromising their schedules.

“I brought up the possibility of adding new English classes during a faculty meeting among staff in the English department. Senior english teachers are excited about the possibility of offering different content for GGC students. They were already offering a diverse curriculum and now we’re more openly acknowledging that same idea,” English Department Chair Mathew Arnold said.

In recent years, teachers have been taking the initiative to add more and more class options in various departments. GHCHS has already added many new fitness class options, such as Recreation and Aerobics, and there are also new electives in the works.

According to Cultural Coalition founder Brian Zamora, there are plans to add an ethnic studies class as an elective option for students to take in their freshman year. These students will have the option of taking either ethnic studies or geography.

For the Class of 2019 and beyond, the new English class options will allow for students to expand their horizons without sacrificing a slot in their schedule. Many students have welcomed these new classes and are eager to explore areas beyond the standard high school curriculum before entering college.

“I chose Film and Literature because I’m extremely interested in film, cinema, movies, and anything like that. I’ve always been interested in the art and production of making movies. I plan on going into film directing and I picked this class to help me learn more about the art,” junior Deavon Garcia-Walker said.

]]>https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/ghchs-chooses-new-english-classes-for-seniors/feed/0aswivelchairdaydreamerGHC DECA excels at ICDChttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/ghc-deca-excels-at-icdc/
https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/ghc-deca-excels-at-icdc/#respondSun, 14 May 2017 21:22:36 +0000http://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/?p=588Continue reading GHC DECA excels at ICDC]]>From April 26 to April 29, the GHC DECA chapter competed at the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Anaheim, California. ICDC is a conference where students compete in business related events such as Financial Literacy Promotion, Virtual Business Simulation and the Stock Market Game Competition. ICDC teaches students professionalism and gives them a look inside the business world and a chance to expand their network at the competition.

Senior Keerthinivash Korisal won GHC DECA’s first national title in the Retail Business Simulation while many other chapter members also placed highly in the top ten of their respective events. In order to move on to ICDC, all students had to finish in the top four of their respective events at the California State Development Conference (SCDC) which was held from March 2 to March 5.

Alongside Korisal, seniors Akshay Allam and Ivan Tagaro competed in the Virtual Business Simulation Competition and Bria Rosenberg also competed in the Financial Literacy Competition.

“Overall, it was a very nerve wracking going into the finals. I was in fourth place both preliminary rounds and only the top four qualified for the next round, My competitors were last year’s champions and very capable but somehow I made it, ” Korisal said.

In the Stock Market Game Competition at ICDC, GHC DECA competitors competed in teams. Juniors Alec Soronow and Stephanie Ruiz qualified for finals, beating dozens of other students from other schools. Juniors Danalee Chew and Philip Vanscoyk also finished in the top eight.

“ICDC allowed us to connect with potential businessman from all over the world and form relationships that we could build on in the future. I think overall the most amazing aspect of ICDC was meeting people from other countries. There were students there from South Korea and Turkey and it was incredible to be a part of that global community,” Allam said.

]]>https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/ghc-deca-excels-at-icdc/feed/0aswivelchairdaydreamerM.U.N team finds success at recent conferenceshttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/04/15/m-u-n-team-finds-success-at-recent-conferences/
https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/04/15/m-u-n-team-finds-success-at-recent-conferences/#respondSat, 15 Apr 2017 21:18:56 +0000http://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/?p=585Continue reading M.U.N team finds success at recent conferences]]>In March and April, the school’s Model United Nations (MUN) team finished its latest conferences with admirable results. The team competed at a conference at the University of California, Berkeley from March 3 to 5 and just recently competed in a conference at the University of Southern California (USC) on April 1st.

MUN’s performance showcased their preparation since the beginning of the semester after winning the “Best Small Delegation” award at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The team proved its intent to continue striving for improvement. Newcomers and veterans alike handled competing at conference with determination.

“The Berkeley conference is essentially the apex of MUN competitions. It was not like UCLA where there were novice committees. For me, it was really putting the skills I learned from the UCLA conference to test,” senior Betty Thai said.

Students not only spend their time writing papers, but also spend time refining their public speaking skills. Being able to speak convincingly and defend one’s ideas is a major part of being successful in MUN.

Throughout the semester, the MUN team researches topics pertaining to their assigned countries, prepare speeches and make edits and performance practices daily as competition approaches.

“I’ve grown into a better person, where I’ll go the extra mile for any one of my teammates because it’s the right thing to do. In addition, developing daily curricula for my team was much more difficult than I had thought– I respect every teacher even more now for their unending amount of out-of-class preparation!” senior Mohib Jafri said.

Recently Thai faced a new challenge at her first competition at UCLA where she struggled to garner the support of her peers.

“While the UCLA conference was rather easy, there were new challenges that my partner Alex Rhee and I faced, namely dealing with other delegates that did not agree with our resolutions and refusing to support us if we did not support them” Thai said.

Despite challenges like these, MUN continues to strive for success and with the recent UCLA conference win they have succeeded in uplifting their reputation to the next level. The award recognized the efforts of both veterans and newcomers on the team and supported the team through yet another successful conference at USC on April 1.

At the USC Conference, MUN won their second Best Large Delegation Award. Alex Gatus, Pedro DeMarcos, Isabel Nakoud, and Mohib Jafri won each won Best Delegate. Maanasi Shyno, Katarina Leskovar and Kyle Friedman each won Outstanding Delegate. Last but not least, Jane Lee won an Honorable Mention.

]]>https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/04/15/m-u-n-team-finds-success-at-recent-conferences/feed/0aswivelchairdaydreamerChanging demographics of APhttps://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/changing-demographics-of-ap/
https://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/changing-demographics-of-ap/#respondFri, 14 Apr 2017 21:11:57 +0000http://creativityandselfdoubt.wordpress.com/?p=583Continue reading Changing demographics of AP]]>According to the Los Angeles Times, 38 percent of the 2016 freshman class at University of California (UC) colleges were members of minority groups, an increase from 2016. In order to properly accommodate the increasing demand for higher education, Granada Hills Charter High School (GHCHS) has not only increased the number of opportunities available to assist students who wish to take Advanced Placement (AP) classes but has also refined the process students go through when selecting these courses, increasing a student’s chance of being accepted to the college of his/her choice. These processes have aided a growth in minority participation in AP classes.

The rise in minority participation benefits the school population as a whole because it unifies the diverse community on campus. The increase in efforts to encourage all students to achieve academic excellence creates a positive environment where all students support one another in accomplishing both long term and short term goals. One reason for this increase is the growing amount of positive influence minority culture clubs have over the student body.

The Black Student Union and Middle Eastern Student Association are just some examples of growing communities here at GHCHS that encourage students to academically challenge themselves. La Familia, another culture club revolving around the Latino community, even offers a mentorship system where upperclassmen guide younger students through the many challenges of high school, including keeping up with homework and classes.

Taking AP classes teaches students to be persistent in pursuing their academic goals. Due to the fast pacing, students learn to ask for help quickly. Struggling and getting by might work for other classes but when it comes to AP classes, students will find it is much better to ask questions and obtain whatever help is necessary. Taking an AP class also allows students to potentially earn college credit upon passing the AP exam. In the long run, students who take AP classes save more money and also benefit from being exposed to college level coursework in high school. These are benefits to students from all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

Sophomore Victoria De La Torre recalls how being one of the few students of Latino descent in her AP World History class impacted her.

“The situation made me feel sad because minorities should also be in those classes. I can say for a fact that I’ve grown because of my AP teachers. I want others to have the same opportunities,” sophomore Victoria De La Torre said.

AP classes expose students to an entirely different classroom setting where they are expected to manage their own time and study for exams without a teacher guiding them every step of the way. Taking more advanced classes allows for a student to learn to manage his/her or her own time and avoid procrastination despite having numerous obligations or deadlines. Taking AP exams is a real privilege that not all students get.
As a result, taking AP classes prepares students to face the intense workload and stress level that awaits them in college and also helps minority students fight against negative stereotypes.